Gilbert E. Perry, Worcestershire, ENG., then Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
Date: 1999-2000
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Gilbert E. Perry, for a number of years salesman and manager for the
Victrola Talking Machine is head of the victrola and radio department
in the Feiblenman's Department Store at Shreveport. Mr. Perry is a
young business man who has a splendid record of service as a soldier,
and is one of the overseas veterans of the great war.
He was born at Redditch, Worcestershire, England, in 1893, and when
nine years of age came to America with his parents. He lived during
early youth at Kalamazoo, Michigan, attending public schools there,
and having his first experience in business life in that city.
He was as a member of Company M of the first Regiment of the Michigan
National Guard then went to the Mexican border in 1916, serving
throughout the summer and fall. After a visit back home to Kalamazoo
he located at El Paso, he represented Victrola products. Altogether
Perry has spent fourteen years in this line of work. However, in
June, 1917, he again answered the call to duty as a soldier, going
into training at Camp Bowie, Ft. Worth. Texas. He went overseas with
the Thirty-sixth Division in June, 1918, and in France was with a
special detachment in the sanitary service at Dijon, Is-sur-Tille and
elsewhere. Returning home and receiving his honorable discharge June,
1919, he came out of the army after practically three years of military
duty.
Resuming his work for the Victor Company, he was located at Dallas
for a time. then at Port Arthur, Texas, and in 1920, at Monroe,
Louisiana, took charge of the Victrola department of the Foster Music
Company. In October, 1924, he left Monroe to accept time call to
Shreveport as manager of the Victrola and radio department in the
magnificent flew department store of the Feibleman Company. Here he
is head of the largest and most complete Victrola and radio department
in the South, there being eight demonstration rooms, a large stock
of Victrola instruments and fine radio receiving sets, and upwards
of ten thousand records constantly available to the public.
Mr. Perry became one of the very popular citizens of Monroe. and was
especially honored and esteemed in the Lions Club, holding the office
of vice president when he resigned to come to Shreveport. He did much
to uphold, express and extend the ideals of that notable organization
working for good citizenship, and is now a member of a similar
organization at Shreveport. Mr. Perry is also known as a tenor soloist,
and has been connected with several church choirs, having taken up this
work in Shreveport. As the result of a war romance he married, in
Fort Worth, Texas. Miss Wesley Horn, of that city. They have one
son, Ted.
A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 44-45, by Henry E. Chambers.
Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.